Life As We Know It

Rated; M for Mature
Pairing; Hiccup & Toothless(Tallon)
Disclaimer; I do not own anything HTTYD-related. Everything belongs to its original creator.

65)

=Normal POV=
(9/7/2019-6:00 pm)
(Archipelago; Isle of Berk)
(Hooligan Village)

Unfortunately for Hiccup, not much got done other than Stoick's punishment sentencing on the 31st of August. Hiccup did his main rounds in the village, but then gave into the migraine and just couldn't push through anymore. After almost collapsing from stress and pain, Toothless carried him back to their boat to lay him down and have him rest until he felt better. Toothless appointed Spitelout to man the village as Acting Chief so Hiccup could recover. Hiccup, for once, did not try to argue the matter as he really needed to get the migraine gone to be any kind of useful to the village, as Toothless told him on the 30th after the situation took place. Hiccup was glad to have his father's crimes handled, and the reason he did it the way he did was to give his father time to think about what he did, so this was more of a timeout/reflection period. Arguing, and talking had done nothing, so perhaps it was time to just leave Stoick with his thought and hope he emerged from all this the man he used to be. If Stoick messed up while on his punishment, Hiccup would address it at the end of the month after getting his reports on Stoick's progress and behavior. Stoick had spent this past week in prison, as ordered and now allowed out in the mornings to start the community service. This was offering to help out in any kind of work as long as he didn't leave the island. So no fishing expeditions.

Hiccup did have Toothless before actually falling asleep on the 31st, inform Cuyler and the rest of the modern crew to get their belongings ready to depart for Norway the next day on the 1st. The barrier was open, Toothless's siblings were kind enough to check. Hiccup knew they needed to go home; they'd been stuck in the Archipelago for two months. They had jobs and their lives to return to. So on the 1st at 7 am; they were off with the instructions to sail through together, at the same time. And not to attempt to come back through for any reason. Hiccup assured they would see him again soon, when all this nonsense was taken care of. It was reported by Drake that all of them made it through safely and were heading onto Norway before he turned back with his other children and returned to Berk. Also that the barrier closed again once the modern group was through. Viggo, Ryker, and Alvin didn't want to say goodbye to their kids, not that they were actually kids, but understood they had their own lives in Norway to get back to, and hoped they'd be able to see one another again soon.

The modern group knew Hiccup had to stay on Berk as it's new leader, at least for now. They knew Hiccup was working on getting out of what his father forced him into, but it would take some time to figure something out. Hiccup had sent off the Chieftains back to their own islands as well on the 1st. They'd been on Berk long enough and told they'd be informed about anything they needed to be told about. Hiccup spent two days getting rid of his migraine, then was back on his feet to work in the village on the 2nd of September. Hiccup hated all of it, but he couldn't leave the tribe with no one to watch over them until a decision could be reached on the fate of who would be ruling when Hiccup inevitably left. No one wanted him to, he was already Chief, and to many did a great job despite not having training. When things over this first week were over and there was a good system going; Hiccup knew it was time to talk to Toothless's family. Rather, let Toothless speak with them about why they were there and what they seemed to know. The day was over now, and everyone was in the hall for dinner.

Hiccup and Toothless were just making their way towards it now, walking up the giant set of stone stairs. "Are you okay?" Toothless asked gently.

"I'm…Better than I was last week. Still hurt by what dad did, but calmer and…Dealing with what's happened I guess." Hiccup replied honestly.

"It's alright to be hurt by what he did, Hiccup. It was awful, backed by the fact he broke his promise to let you be happy." Toothless said. Hiccup sighed some. "I'm glad you're better, though. I don't like seeing you all upset, but I understand why."

"I was upset before, knowing we almost got back to Norway and it crashed when the others came through. Now I'm just miserable because I'm stuck here until I figure out what I'm supposed to do to get out of it." Hiccup informed.

"Any ideas on that?" Toothless wondered.

"The easiest is just get the Berk Council to vote in a new royal family. I explained it once to you when we camped out in the cove. I could give up my position and let them appoint someone new as leader of the tribe, someone who can meet the requirements of being Chief. You know the main one is having a child. Getting married isn't so much necessary as long as there's a blood child to take over." Hiccup explained.

Toothless nodded, holding his hand while they walked. "I remember. If that's an option on getting out of this…Why haven't you used it?" He decided to inquire.

"Chiefdom has been in my family since my grandfather's time as a teenager. I…Don't want to lose that as it's part of my history. I guess I kind of see dad's point about why he wanted me to take over, and honestly; I was considering to allow it and end up Chief anyway…But not stay Chief." Hiccup revealed as Toothless eyed him.

"What do you mean?" Toothless asked.

"I had this idea to let dad make me Chief, just so he could see that I became it because I knew that's what he wanted. He doesn't want our family's reign to end with him; I get that. We know Hamish the First and Second ruled before my grandfather, but Haddocks before them ruled Berk as well, dating all the way back to Grimbeard the Ghastly. So I saw dad's desire not to let this die…And I was willing to let him name Chief, just so he could have the proud moment where he saw his only son take over the island…But leave after giving an Heir to take over when of age to do so. Earliest, in extenuating circumstances, is sixteen. Normal time is eighteen, after beginning training at seventeen for a year." Hiccup informed.

"You giving an Heir involves you having sex with a woman, Hiccup. You know…That I wouldn't stop you, if that's what you wanted to do…But I thought you didn't want to." Toothless stated.

"Still don't. Gods, I want no part of sleeping with a woman…Especially when I'm engaged to you, technically already married in the dragon community." Hiccup said firmly. "But everyone is aware of the modern way of getting a child without the use of sex. It might be strange to them, but after the party night held here; they understand that such things are definitely possible. The only thing I'd have to do is convince the Viking Council to allow it by changing the original tradition of marrying and providing an Heir." He added.

"So you have to talk to the Berk Council?" Toothless questioned.

. . .

(6:15 pm)
(Hooligan Village; Great Hall)

Hiccup shook his head as they ended up in the hall, walking towards the Chief's Table. "No, babe. The Viking Council is made up of all Chieftains in current power. So all the leaders who were just here would have to agree to let me provide an Heir through modern methods, not Viking ones. You remember what I said about how things are done for the new Chief, or upcoming one who married. You should, Astrid freaked out about it when she found out what would happen if she and I stayed together and got married." He continued.

Toothless thought a moment, then it hit him. "The sex in front of the village thing?" Hiccup nodded. "And this is…To ensure the couple consummates their marriage, because that act officiates their marriage, right?"

"You got it. Exclusive law and tradition to just the Heirs or Heiresses who get married before taking Chiefdom, or have become leader and take a wife/husband and have to give an Heir. It's not being required of me, yet, but they'll call for a child to at least be conceived and on the way by the end of one year's time since I became Chief last week. So August 30th, 2020, they'll need demand that there is a child on the way that is mine, or that a child has already been born as long as it's mine. Most weddings are set when a woman would be fertile, to ensure she becomes pregnant during the consummation, but then there's another ridiculous tradition about the couple shacking up for thirty days a week after the wedding for the honeymoon. This is a month of drinking and having sex, hoping a child is conceived by the end of it. A month is because a woman would be able to go through a full cycle, and she'd know if she was pregnant when she didn't bleed on time, or didn't bleed when the honeymoon ended." Hiccup explained to him.

"Wow." Toothless blinked. "So…Your idea is to convince them to let you have a child through surrogacy, then step down as Chief when it's sixteen?"

"No, just ensure a child is conceived, and leave it here to be raised until it's of age to take over. Basically…Leave an Heir or Heiress behind, like adoption. Whoever has the baby would step up as temporary leaders until the child was of age to assume the position. I'd still visit, of course. I wouldn't just give the baby up and vanish completely as it would still be my child. Weekend visits or something…That's…The only way I can think of getting out of being Chief while not letting the family reign end with me. But as I said; it has to be approved by the Viking Council, and you know how some of them are with the traditions that Vikings follow. Some of these things have been the same since the first council was formed and the laws and traditions that all Vikings follow were set." Hiccup remarked as he and Toothless sat down with the food they grabbed along the way to the table.

"Guess it's not an awful idea, don't really think some of those unchanged minds would deny you this given they were part of the situation last week and should be lucky you didn't take action." Toothless shrugged. "Would you be okay with just having some girl carry your baby for nine months, then take it away to live the rest of it's life, adopted by people here and taking over as leader?"

"Like I said, I wouldn't just give the baby up and abandon it. I'd visit, check in…Once there's an Heir or Heiress born; I could withdraw from being Chief because there would be someone else to take over when they became of age to do so. Example; I give the baby to Spitelout and his wife to raise. Spitelout is temporary Chief until my child becomes sixteen and then it would take it's position because it would be the firstborn, legal, blood child from me who is Chief right now. And the Haddock line continues through that child. It's all I can think of, unless the Chieftains vote to completely abolish all that silly stuff and mesh with the modern world. Still ruling their tribes, but following the laws of Denmark under the official rule of the Queen. So the Chieftains would become more like…Mayors, Governors…Something like that." Hiccup mentioned softly as they began to eat.

"It's an idea if nothing else. We'd have to call the Chieftains back to discuss it." Toothless said.

"I know, but it can wait a little bit. They were here long enough this past month when they didn't need to be. If anything…I'd bring it back up at the annual meeting in January." Hiccup replied.

"That's still…Four months away, babe. You prepared to stay Chief that long, away from Norway? And then the time , if they were to agree to your conception of a child idea, the time it takes to go through the process, the time for conception to happen because you know it doesn't always happen right away, and then the pregnancy? You're looking at two years…At least." Toothless reminded gently. "Are you prepared for that, when you wanted to get back to Norway as soon as possible?"

"Still working out the actual idea, Tooth. Relax…I'm just going through things as a general timeline of how it's done right now. Viking Council meetings, or the annual Chieftain Gathering is designed to discuss matters like these. Before it was for raids, but since that's over…Now it's just Viking business that only we can change if we all agree on it. If something is urgent; the meeting can be called any time." Hiccup told him. "Let's…Not worry for the moment. There's a lot that's happened in so little time; I'd like for it to die down a bit and return to somewhat normal before more chaos ensures. Let's eat dinner and then we have to talk to your family."

"Alright." Toothless nodded as they continued eating and Hiccup watched everything. No one was at his table except Toothless, and Gobber, who always had an invite to sit there. Originally it had been because he was Stoick's best friend, but now it was because he practically raised Hiccup, who admitted a week ago that if anyone was his father; it was Gobber. Stoick was off to the right, sitting by himself and guarded. After dinner; he'd be returning to his cell as per Hiccup's orders. Everyone thought Hiccup let Stoick off easy, but respected Hiccup for not severely punishing his dad after what he did.

. . .

(8:00 pm)

Hiccup let the tribe eat their dinner, and have a bit of fun with drinking their mead and talking before sending everyone home around 7:45 pm. The hall was cleaned up, and Stoick had already been sent back to his cell when he'd finished eating at 6:30 pm. Now, the only people left in the hall were Hiccup, Toothless, and Toothless's family. Hiccup decided the Berk Council wasn't needed for this as it wasn't a Berk matter; this was more…Family-related.

"Where do we start?" Toothless asked.

"This is all you, babe; it's your family. The only thing I wanted explained, as promised by your father, is why they didn't stop things before my father started to carry out his plan." Hiccup said. Before anyone else could say anything; there was knocking on the hall doors. "What?" Hiccup asked. The door opened revealing Spitelout, and other members of the council. "I stated this meeting was not involving Berk, and that everyone was to go home. Except those guarding and on patrol."

"We know, Chief. We're sorry to interrupt…But we've got a problem." Spitelout informed as Hiccup stood now.

"Define?" Hiccup asked.

"Evidently, there's some kind of freak storm everywhere right now. All the Chieftains can't get home, so they turned back here…For shelter and requesting permission to stay until it's safe to travel." Sven said as Hiccup sighed, about to allow it.

"And we don't know how…But your modern group is back too, managed to get here through the same storm." Mulch added. Hiccup wanted to get mad, but what good what it do. "They said something pushed them back into the Archipelago, even though the barrier had closed once they crossed it last week and they've been sailing aimlessly the last couple of days, not quite remembering the way here."

"There is one more thing too…" Spitelout said as Hiccup was getting ready to lose the ridiculous restraint he had on his anger.

"Spitelout…Don't beat around the bush. What is it? What else could possibly be happening now that I don't already have enough to deal with?" Hiccup glared.

"The freak storm is closing in on us…It's gonna be bad. All the dragons are not acting like themselves with worry. It's almost freezing and starting to snow, pretty heavy too. What do you want us to do, Chief?" Gobber stepped forward, looking at Hiccup with apologetic eyes.

Hiccup took a breath, closing his eyes. "Toothless, how bad is it gonna be?" Hiccup asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose and corners of his eyes.

"Feels pretty bad, babe. Lot of wind and snow, freezing temperatures. I know that's not what you want to hear…But you know I won't lie to you about things." Toothless stated lightly, not liking that Hiccup was getting stressed again.

"It's fine, I appreciate the honesty…" Hiccup said. "If it's going to be that bad, everyone comes here for lock down. I'd rather not have to move anyone later on if it gets worse, which it sounds that it will. Moving everyone then is dangerous…Spitelout, call for lock down in the hall. The rest of you, follow storm procedure. Get some helpers and move all supplies move into the underground store area so we can access them without leaving the hall."

"Right away, sir." The council replied firmly, rushing off to do what they were told.

"What can we do to help, Hiccup?" Alva, Toothless's sister, asked gently.

"Help me get the hall ready. Tables and benches against the wall, we need the floor space for people to sleep on." Hiccup sighed.

"You got it." Dag, one of Toothless's brothers, replied. Without wasting anymore time as the storm was closing in fast; Toothless, Hiccup, and the Raseri family got to work on getting the hall ready for a storm lock down. This is not how Hiccup wanted to spend his night, and if it was gonna be this bad; the next day or so. Longer than that, and he might lose his mind.